It doesn’t need an introduction, everyone already knows it, while hardly a few lucky ones have yet been able to ride it in deep powder. The Polaris RMK Khaos is without a doubt the snowmobile that fills the void in the Polaris range of “crazy” off-trail snowmobiles. Indeed, there was the highly respected Pro RMK, which is incredibly stable, and then the SKS, a hybrid snowmobile that is great, both on the trails and in the deep snow. However, there wasn’t (yet) a more nervous or aggressive snowmobile for those who like this kind of riding. Then came the Khaos.
Our version of the Khaos for 2020 is the 155-inch track with the 800 Cleanfire engine. Since this is an engine that’s well known and familiar to us, we’ll be able to focus our test on what distinguishes a Khaos from a classic RMK.
The secret of the Khaos is really in the rear suspension. The new geometry allows to transfer more weight to the rear, which should allow us to do wheelies more easily. One of the reasons is that the angle of the rails is more aggressive, which makes a snowmobile more nervous during accelerations.
Among other things, the new rear suspension is what distinguishes the Khaos from the classic Pro-RMK.
The new rear suspension with Walker Evans Velocity shocks “totally changes the behavior of the snowmobile”, according to our riders of the last SnowShoot. However, I expect a little less stability or predictability, especially in side-hill. To be honest, this compromise is easy to make considering what I prefer off-trail.
Our collaborator driving the Khaos last spring
It will also be interesting to see how much easier it will be to initiate S-shaped maneuvers while standing up with the shock absorbers. Remember that the React suspension, introduced last year, has changed the game!
I can’t wait to start testing the Khaos! Although on paper it looks very similar to a Pro-RMK, I think I will have some very pleasant surprises. I can’t wait to tell you everything on the new rear suspension and Velocity shocks. I’m also sure that I’m going to be nostalgic to go back to the 800 Cleanfire engine.
